ASK THE ADVOCATE: On-street parking

On Easter Sunday, a resident on our street had a crawfish boil at their house with a large number of people in attendance. Cars were parked on one side of the street, which is narrow, for several blocks. This made it difficult for normal traffic to drive on the street and made it impossible for some of us to back out of our driveways. Our street is a dead-end street, so there is only one way in or out. This is not the first time this has happened. What is the East Baton Rouge Parish ordinance on street parking?

Assistant Parish Attorney Joseph Scott said in an email that the answer depends on the location of the residence, whether it is inside or outside the city limits of Baton Rouge.

Scott writes: “The answer varies slightly depending on your location. The general rule is found in 11:415 (City of Baton Rouge) and 11:437 (Parish of East Baton Rouge, excepting the Cities of Baton Rouge, Baker, and Zachary) of the Code of Ordinances, both of which give a detailed list of places where parking is forbidden (too close to intersection, road work, fire hydrants, etc).”

He adds that the specifics of interest for this question would be:

(1) No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, or permit a vehicle registered in his name to be stopped, standing or parked, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a law enforcement officer or traffic-control device, or parking-control device in any of the following places:

(2) In front of or blocking a public or private driveway;

(20) Upon the traveled portion of any roadway, except to yield to other traffic, or as directed by a signal or sign, or as directed by a law enforcement officer;

(22) On the grass in a yard between the residence and the street of any lot in the Al, A2, A2.5, A3 or A4 districts and in recognized subdivisions in the rural district.

Sections 11:416 and 11:438 (again, City and Parish in general) provide that parking on a “neutral ground, right-of-way, sidewalk, strip of land between a property line and street curb, or other public way” is forbidden, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the law and directions of a police officer or traffic parking-control device.

Sections 11:418 and 11:440 (City and Parish) provide that it is a violation to park in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway, headed in the direction of lawful traffic movement, and more than 18 inches away from the curb or edge of the roadway.

Inside the territorial limits of the city of Baton Rouge, Code of Ordinances Section 11:421 also applies, and states:

No person shall stand or park any vehicle or permit any vehicle registered in his name to be standing or parked upon a street, highway or within an alley in such a manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten (10) feet of the width of the street, highway or alleyway for free movement of vehicular traffic or blocking the driveway entrance to any abutting property.

Tax refund

When should a filer of state income tax returns, which were due on May 16, expect to receive his check? What is the procedure for checking to see if a refund check has been sent?

Tara G. Cunningham, public affairs director for the Louisiana Department of Revenue, passed along a few tips for taxpayers to avoid refund delays.

One leading cause of a delayed refund is the taxpayer’s failure to check the change of address box on the tax return. Any refund sent to an incorrect address is returned to LDR by the post office. If you have moved since you last filed your taxes, be sure to update your address.